Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart rhythm problems in 36 small dogs with mitral valve disease
By Crosara, S et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2010·Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Holter monitoring in 36 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 36 small dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (a heart condition) underwent heart monitoring to check for irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). The dogs were divided into two groups: those showing symptoms of heart failure and those without symptoms. The dogs with symptoms had higher heart rates and more irregular heartbeats compared to the asymptomatic group. The study found that dogs with an enlarged left atrium were more likely to have certain types of arrhythmias. Holter monitoring proved to be an effective way to track heart health in these dogs.
People also search for: dog heart disease symptoms · myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs · Holter monitor for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Describe the presence of arrhythmias in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and the potential association with class of heart failure and left atrial enlargement. Compare the standard electrocardiogram (ECG) with Holter monitoring for assessing heart rate (HR). EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: The study group of 36 dogs weighing less than 20 kg was divided into MMVD and no clinical signs (preclinical) or MMVD and clinical signs (clinical). A standard echocardiogram, ECG and 24-h Holter recording were obtained in all dogs. RESULTS: Minimum and mean Holter HRs were higher in the clinical group than in the preclinical group. Clinical dogs had more ventricular arrhythmias than preclinical dogs. An enlarged left atrium was associated with the presence of more supraventricular arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Arrhythmias are a common finding in dogs with MMVD and Holter monitoring is a reliable tool for both HR monitoring and diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20854294/